Device and method for processing light-polymerizable material for building up an object in layers

Abstract

A method and a device for processing light-polymerizable material for the assembly of a mold, utilizing a lithography-based generative manufacturing technique wherein a layer of a light-polymerizable material, the material being located in at least one trough ( 4 ) having a particularly light-transmissive, horizontal bottom ( 6 ), is polymerized by illumination on at least one horizontal platform ( 12 ), the platform having a prespecified geometry and projecting into a trough ( 4 ), in an illumination field, wherein the platform ( 12 ) is displaced vertically to form a subsequent layer, light-polymerizable material is then added to the most recently formed layer, and repetition of the foregoing steps leads to the layered construction of the mold in the desired form, which arises from the succession of layer geometries. The invention is characterized in that the trough ( 4 ) can be shifted horizontally to a supply position, and the supply device ( 8 ) brings light-polymerizable material at least to an illumination field of the trough bottom ( 6 ), before the at least one trough ( 4 ) is shifted to an illumination position in which the illumination field is located below the platform ( 12 ) and above the illumination unit ( 10 ), and illumination is carried out.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for processing light-polymerizable material ( 5 ;  55 ;  105 ) for building up an object ( 27 ), using a lithography-based generative fabrication technique, in which a layer ( 28 ) of a light-polymerizable material ( 5 ;  55 ;  105 ), which is located in at least one vat ( 4 ;  54 ;  104 ) with transparently or translucently formed, horizontal bottom ( 6 ;  56 ;  106 ), is polymerized on at least one horizontal build platform ( 12 ;  62 ), the horizontal build platform ( 12 ;  62 ) protruding into the at least one vat ( 4 ;  54 ;  104 ), with predetermined geometry by exposure in an exposure area,
 the build platform ( 12 ;  62 ) is displaced vertically for forming of a subsequent layer, 
 light-polymerizable material ( 5 ;  55 ;  105 ) is newly fed under a layer ( 28 ) last formed, and 
 by repeating the previous steps, the object ( 27 ) is built up in layers in a form, which results from a sequence of layer geometries, 
 wherein the at least one vat ( 4 ;  54 ;  104 ) can be moved horizontally into a feed position, a feed device ( 8 ) discharges light-polymerizable material ( 5 ;  55 ;  105 ) at least onto the exposure area of at least one vat bottom ( 6 ;  56 ;  106 ) before the at least one vat ( 4 ;  54 ;  104 ) is moved into an exposure position, in which the exposure area is located below the build platform ( 12 ;  62 ) and above an exposure unit ( 10 ;  60 ), and exposure takes place, 
 wherein a layer thickness of the material ( 5 ;  55 ;  105 ) is set by a distance between the build platform ( 12 ;  62 ) and the at least one vat bottom ( 6 ;  56 ;  106 ) with the aid of a lifting mechanism ( 14 ;  64 ;  114 ), which, after renewed feeding of light-polymerizable material, lowers the build platform ( 12 ;  62 ) with layers formed on the build platform, again into a newly fed light-polymerizable material ( 5 ;  55 ;  105 ), so that light-polymerizable material is displaced from a remaining intermediate space with respect to the at least one vat bottom ( 6 ;  56 ;  106 ), and a remaining distance between a lowered lower surface and the vat bottom is set in a manner under control of a control unit ( 11 ;  61 ). 
 
     
     
       2. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein distribution of the fed material ( 5 ;  55 ;  105 ) takes place in a prescribed layer thickness ( 33 ) on the at least one vat bottom ( 6 ;  56 ;  106 ), on the exposure area, while moving of the at least one vat ( 4 ;  54 ;  104 ) from a feed position into the exposure position is performed with aid of an application device ( 26 ;  76 ;  126 ) arranged between the feed device ( 8 ;  58 ;  108 ) and the exposure unit ( 10 ;  60 ) as well as the build platform ( 12 ;  62 ), a height of which above the at least one vat bottom ( 6 ;  56 ;  106 ) can be set. 
     
     
       3. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein raising and/or lowering of the build platform ( 12 ;  62 ) takes place under force control in accordance with a prescribed force profile. 
     
     
       4. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one vat ( 4 ) is rotatably mounted and is turned about a prescribed angle about the vertical axis ( 22 ) between successive layer building steps. 
     
     
       5. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the at least one vat ( 54 ) is mounted such that it can be moved laterally and is moved horizontally over a prescribed distance between successive layer building steps. 
     
     
       6. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , in which a plurality of different materials ( 105 ) are used for building up layers in a selectable sequence in successive layer building steps, by a plurality of vats ( 104 ), each assigned a feed device ( 108 ) with one of the plurality of materials ( 105 ), being moved in a selected sequence between the exposure unit and the build platform, this movement being a rotating movement where multiple vats ( 104 ) are arranged along a curved path or a linear movement where the vats are arranged along a straight line. 
     
     
       7. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the lithography-based generative fabrication technique comprises rapid prototyping. 
     
     
       8. The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the application device comprises a doctor blade or a roller.